Thanks for stopping by, mate! We’ve got a rather tidy list of Australian Desserts right here for you!
When looking for something sweet, it may not occur to the average home cook to look up Australian dessert recipes, and that’s a shame!
There are some fantastic Australian desserts to be tried, enjoyed, and explored.
Here at Cooking Chew, we’re always on the search for new ways to spice up dessert. (Fairy Bread Cake Balls, anyone?)
I’ve wanted to visit the land Down Under but have heard it may seem oddly familiar.
However, I’ve been assured that there are many subtle differences aside from rugby, kangaroos, and driving on the other (wrong, as I tease my Aussie friends) side of the road.
They use the metric system (find a conversion chart here) eat vegemite sandwiches (for real), call peppers capsicum, and eat pumpkin as a veggie, not a pie.
I love that coffee with milk is called a “flat white,” and if you are ordering a milkshake, you must specify that you would like it thick.
Otherwise, it will only be slightly thicker than the consistency of milk.
Like in Britain, sultanas are raisins, and eggplants are aubergines. And no, they don’t “throw a shrimp on the barbie.” They may throw a prawn, though.
Desserts are still desserts, thankfully, and if you’re feeling like taking a sweet culinary vacation to the land of Crocodile Dundee, look no further than this lovely list of lollies!
From Australian Hot Jam Donuts to Anzac Biscuits to Violet Honeycomb Truffle Slice and Jubilee Cake, you’re going to get a bit of Oz in every recipe below.
Homemade Tim Tams, here we come!
I’ve put together a list of all the famous sweet treats, the most popular Australian desserts, and of course, my personal favorites.
1. Pavlova
If you love creamy meringue, then this is your dessert.
This dessert originated in Australia but was named after Anna Pavlova, the famous Russian ballerina.
Pavlova is an Australian dessert staple and part of many dessert menus across the country.
Pavlova is baked and then topped with as much whipped cream and fresh fruit as you desire.
Light and heavenly!
There are many different ways to dress this sweet treat up.
So, choose your own adventure.
As you can imagine, this is a hit with the little ones!
The colors make it so fun for a birthday or any sort of bright celebration.
Traditional fairy bread is prepared with sliced white bread and butter.
It is then topped with multi-colored sprinkles that Aussies refer to as “hundreds and thousands.”
This one is a twist on this traditional Australian dessert recipe loved by both kids and adults.
In Australia, you can buy these packaged cookies just about everywhere.
However, if you live elsewhere, they can be almost impossible to find.
Don’t fret.
These homemade Tim Tams are even better than the original.
Tim Tams are two crunchy chocolate cookies filled with buttercream and dipped in chocolate.
These cookies are so delicious.
For a dipped cookie, these still can be made from start to finish in an hour and a half.
My favorite type of Australian cookie, Anzac biscuits, are not overly sweet and have just enough coconut to give them great flavor.
This recipe is pretty straightforward and requires only seven ingredients.
Anzac cookies are an Australian baking classic.
The name refers to Anzac Day, a national holiday remembering all Australian and New Zealand troops.
It was explicitly started to recognize the countries’ first engagement in WWI.
These little gems are also known as Melbourners, because they hail from Melbourne, Australia.
Melbourne natives claim that the “hot” in the hot jam doughnuts is how it became their specialty.
However, because it falls under the Australian pastries category, you can expect it to take more time, like croissants or turnovers.
First, you must allow the dough to rise.
Then you will assemble the doughnuts and then, finally, fry them.
But, make them for a special occasion, and you’ll have everyone wanting just one more.
Musk Sticks are a sugary treat in Australia.
The tart is similar to a candy recipe and requires gelatin if you might have a vegan in your group.
This decorated tart is such an excellent choice for a party as it is just the prettiest pink thing you’ve ever seen.
These biscuits are gorgeous and remind me of something you would serve up at a tea party.
Another traditional Australian dessert, iced vovos, are buttercream cookies topped with strawberry fondant icing, a stripe of raspberry jam down the center, and sprinkled with coconut.
These are definitely specialty cookies, but you can have these ready in a little over an hour.
This recipe is the homemade version of the classic Arnott’s Iced Vovos that are not very easy to find here in the states.
Inspired by the Violet Crumble Australian chocolate bar, this is a decadent treat.
You can use a store-bought honeycomb if you are short on time.
Candied violets are simply sugared flowers to add some elegance to any dessert.
Lemon Myrtle is a giant tree native to the rainforests in Australia.
It can grow to be over 60 feet.
Lemon Myrtle leaves are a common spice in the country.
The flavor is similar to lemongrass, which is a good substitute in this recipe.
Lemon zest is another option to replace the lemon myrtle.
This Australian dessert recipe also calls for Macadamia nuts.
The citrus of the lemon and the nuts are a great combination of flavors.
This dough can be made ahead and frozen.
Take out and slice a few cookies when you need a sweet treat.
Historically you will find Dolly Varden cake commonly served at children’s birthday parties in Australia.
The cake is built around a real barbie type doll to create a skirt.
Dolly Varden is the name of a character in the famous Charles Dickens novel Barnaby Rudge.
Get the doll cake pan from cake superpower Wilton here on Amazon. (aff)
A classic Aussie dessert is cake squares dipped in chocolate glaze and rolled in coconut.
The recipe is pretty simple, considering the fancy end result.
Basically, you start with making a simple cake, and then after letting it cool completely or sit overnight, you cut it into squares, dip, roll, and enjoy.
12. Violet Crumble
Violet Crumble is an Australian chocolate bar made with honeycomb, chocolate, and toffee.
As you can imagine, Violet Crumble bars are scarce around these parts.
But, this recipe allows you to make your own.
Great for birthday parties or a fun holiday treat, these are similar to a Rice Krispie treat but with chocolate and coconut.
Aussies use coconut a lot, and this dessert is no different; however, it would be easy to leave out for those who don’t concur.
This chocolate crackle recipe is simple because you only need a few ingredients, and no baking is required!
Mangos are plentiful in Australia.
The Golden Mango, a variety of mango, is so popular that there is a giant replica in Northern Queensland.
It is the largest mango sculpture in the world, sitting at ten meters high.
This Australian pudding recipe is made with brightly colored mangos, passion fruit and milk for creaminess.
It looks and tastes so refreshing—an excellent treat for a hot summer’s day.
15. Jubilee Cake
This cake is quick and easy to make.
It’s a light cake made with fruit and topped with icing.
It’s great for dessert and breakfast!
Note that sultanas are the Australian word for raisins.
The recipe also calls for currants.
I would definitely add pecans or walnuts to mine, but I love the combination of nuts in almost all sweets. You?
This cake is sure to be a jaw-dropper.
Not only is it gorgeous, but it tastes as unique as it looks.
It is necessary to start making this ahead of time as it takes a while to assemble the layers.
It calls for Scotch Fingers, which is an Australian brand, but any shortbread cookies will suffice.
17. Neenish Tart
The neenish tart is a traditional Australian dessert commonly found in local pastry shops.
This two-toned tart is filled with cream and jam and is a great recipe to make for a crowd.
Perfect for a book club or to serve after lunch.
Golden Gaytime is an Australian ice cream company.
This recipe calls for Streets bars which consist of vanilla and toffee flavored ice cream dipped in chocolate and shortbread crumbles.
Substitute any similar ice cream or use vanilla and toffee bits instead.
Arnott’s biscuits are used for the crumbles, but any shortbread cookie will suffice.
You can use some additional cookies to make up for the outside of the ice cream bars.
19. Caramel Slice
The caramel slice is a decadent and rich Aussie dessert.
Always a crowd-pleaser!
These are made in a cake or brownie pan and cut into bars for serving.
It calls for golden syrup, a thick syrup made during the processing of sugar with a texture similar to molasses.
This is what puts the caramel in the caramel slice.
There is no equivalent in the states, but there are plenty of substitutes.
The best choice is light corn syrup.
This quick and easy recipe can be on the table in under an hour.
I love these popsicles because of the cream.
It softens the tart flavor of the mango and kiwi.
Beautiful, tasty, refreshing and if you love mango and kiwi, they go together like gangbusters!
Monte Carlo is a cookie made by Arnott’s brand in Australia.
This recipe is inspired by the original but is arguably better!
It calls for simple ingredients, and the cookies are easy to assemble.
This recipe is an excellent twist on a classic dessert: more carrots, more nuts, and less cake.
If you love carrots, this one’s for you.
This cake recipe is easy to follow and takes about an hour.
The Aussies use the metric system, so use the conversion tool here.
Australians love their Cherry Ripe.
If you are not familiar with the name, it refers to a chocolate, cherry, and coconut bar from Cadbury.
Located in Tasmania, the Cadbury factory offers tours.
If you’re in the area, this is a delicious option to learn how chocolate is made.
This recipe has excellent directions and suggestions for ingredient substitutions for us here in the states.
It also has tips on how to make the recipe vegan.
Mars Bars are an Australian favorite!
Though Mars Bars are not available in most U.S. grocery stores, here’s a box of 40 full-size Mars Bars.
But they are similar to a Milky Way, which you can get in any convenience store or supermarket here in the USA (and are also available in Australia).
These brownies are extra fudgy and extra decadent.
This recipe is in the metric system, so here’s a link to a conversion chart.
The bottom line
Australians have some fantastic recipes.
It is so much fun to immerse yourself in a different culture and get a taste of their lifestyle.
As you can see from the recipes, they eat tons of coconut, mangoes, and Cadbury!
Many of the biscuits, aka cookies and chocolate bars mentioned, are sometimes available at World Market if you get a hankering to try the real deal.
Be sure to use the conversion chart, and don’t hesitate to look up substitutions for ingredients that may seem obscure.
I hope that these recipes inspire you to try something new or maybe even plan your next vacation!
So next time you’re dreaming of Australia, try one of these 25 dreamy, popular, and traditional Australian desserts.
They will definitely satiate your sweet tooth and take you straight to the land down under.
24 Popular Australian Dessert Recipe Assortment
Take a walk through the sweet life in The Land Down Under with these 24 Australian Desserts!
Ingredients
- Pavlova
- Fairy Bread Cake Balls
- Homemade Tim Tams
- Anzac Biscuits
- Australian Hot Jam Donuts
- Musk Stick Marshmallow Tart
- Homemade Iced Vo-Vo
- Violet Honeycomb Truffle Slice
- Macadamia & Lemon Myrtle Shortbread
- Dolly Varden Cake
- Lamington Australian Cakes
- Violet Crumble
- Chocolate Crackles
- Mango & Passion Fruit Pudding
- Jubilee Cake
- Mango, Coconut & Macadamia Ice Cream Layer Cake With Chilled Lime Caramel
- Neenish Tart
- Golden Gaytime Frozen Cheesecake
- Caramel Slice
- Mango & Kiwi Popsicles
- Monte Carlos Cookies
- Aussie Carrot Cake
- Cherry Ripe Slice
- Mars Bar Brownies
Instructions
- Skim through our Australian Desserts list.
- Select the recipe you’re looking for.
- Give us five stars if you love this list!
- Prep the ingredients as instructed.
- Spill your thoughts on our Facebook page!